The present invention relates to remotely controlling and monitoring the use of computer software. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for renting computer software products while 1) deriving customer use and billing information; 2) preventing unauthorized copying and use; 3) maintaining the integrity of the rented software product (hereafter also "package"); and 4) controlling related voice, program and data communications between the host and user's computers.
For purposes of the present invention, rental computer software refers to the service of providing computer software to customers (hereafter also users) on a pay-as-used basis, where the software is executed on the customer's own personal computer. In the past, the only software offered for "rent" was software installed on centrally located computers, accessible via remotely located workstations or terminals. Such systems are well-known as "time-sharing" systems.
In time-share systems, software is executed on the central computer system, and not on the customer's own computer. Time-shared software is typically accessed over telephone networks using a "dumb" terminal or equivalent located at the customer's home or office. In such systems, all customers share the central computer resource, and the quality and delivery of services provided generally degrade, i.e., slow down, as more customers attempt to use the resource simultaneously. In addition to charges for the central computer to execute the users program (i.e. CPU time), charges for time-share usage must also include the cost for continuous use of the public telephone network for the duration of the connection to the central computer (i.e. connect time), whether or not the central computer is actually executing the user's program. Thus, as the number of users increase, both CPU time and connect time increase; as CPU time and connect time increase, charges escalate as service degrades.
In general, and particularly in the circumstances just described, charges for use of software via time-share systems are likely to be much greater and far less predictable than for the rental of software which is executed on the customer's own computer. On the other hand, host-based, time-share systems have successfully provided software that is too expensive or complex to be made available on smaller systems such as personal computers. Thus it is desirable to continue offering expensive and complex software installed on host-based systems, while eliminating the disadvantages of time-share systems.
The software rental system of the present invention has some features which are not unlike pay-for-view television systems enjoyed by television viewers today. In pay-for-view television systems, the customer generally pays to watch a particular program. For that purpose, the customer is provided with a control box supplied by a cable television company. The control box, once activated from the cable company office, decrypts encrypted television signals transmitted to the user by the cable company. If the customer is not authorized to view a particular program, the image remains scrambled, and is unintelligible to the viewer. Conversely, once the customer has selected and paid for the program desired, the control box decrypts the signal and the program is understandable by the viewer.
In the relevant prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,851 discloses a television usage monitoring system comprising a modified program selector (installed in the home of a subscriber) which is used to select television programs for viewing while, at the same time, providing the selection information to a remote monitoring unit (also installed in the subscriber's home). The remote monitoring unit is connected to the subscriber's telephone line and is programmed to periodically communicate, via telephone lines, with a central computer for the purpose of transmitting the television usage data thereto. The disclosed remote monitoring system can be utilized for "[a]ccess to centralized public database networks" (see column 2, line 4). The system is also described as having the capability of producing a "disable" signal from the central computer to the remote unit if, for example, the subscriber has not timely paid charges due on his account. It should be noted that U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,851 does not disclose a system for 1) secure and remotely controlled downloading and use of computer programs and data; 2) remotely controllable monitoring of use and security of the downloaded programs and data; and 3) accessing and retrieving stored usage data. In addition, neither means for generating block check characters for data transmitted and received, nor voice-data switching capability is described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,578 discloses a rental contract timer system for operating a relay to connect power to the rental equipment such as a television set, only during the time for which rental has been paid. A magnetic card reader determines, from an inserted card, the rental period and identifying information, and the timer contains a real-time clock and a microprocessor to compare the current time with the time in the rental period.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,296 discloses an electronic access control system for controlling customer access to rental appliances located in the customer's home or other location away from the direct physical control of the renter. The system comprises a control module wired into the appliance with a card reader for programming the module to permit access and usage of the appliance by the customer.